the biggest ears i've ever seen because they were protecting him. >> voters in 12 states set to go to the polls on tuesday. is it trump/clinton showdown in november all but a done deal? we're live on the campaign trail. gunned down on her first day. a tragic shooting in virginia. >> i just want to be clear, do we have officers involved in a shooting? >> we have three officers that have been shot. >> an officer shot and killed, her first day on the job, two other cops injured. what police are saying this morning about the suspect. world cup crash. olympic skier lindsey vonn with a horrific fall in the middle of a race on saturday. today, despite that fall, and a fracture, she's back in action. and ready for oscar. glitz and glamour on full display tonight at the 88th academy awards. will leo finally take home his first oscar? and how will host chris rock

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surrounding the lack of diversity. we're counting down to it all, "today," sunday, february 28th, 2016. >> announcer: from nbc news, this is "today," live from studio 1a in rockefeller plaza. and welcome to "today" on this sunday morning. i'm erica hill. >> i'm jeff rossen alongside the ladies as we love dylan dreyer and sheinelle jones. you're rooting for leo tonight? >> i hadn't thought about it. >> it is really impressive. the film is really sort of a cinematic feat as you learn about all of the -- everything that went into it. and for what he put into that role, it is really an impressive performance. >> they're up for best picture, best direct,or and best actor. we want to start with our other top story and that's the other battle. the battle for the white house. hillary clinton's huge win over bernie sanders in south carolina saturday. clinton winning 74% of the vote. bernie sanders just 26%.

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she is not taking anything for granted as sanders vows he's far from out of this race. plenty of activity on the republican side as well. we have full coverage on and analysis for you. we begin with nbc's kristen welker covering the democrats in south carolina. hi, kristen, good morning. >> reporter: good morning to you. secretary clinton and senator sanders will set their sights on super tuesday states today, but this race has fundamentally changed after clinton broke all expectations with her overwhelming defeat of sanders here saturday night. today, secretary clinton is starting a new phase of her campaign. >> thank you so much, south carolina! >> reporter: after her lights out defeat of bernie sanders saturday night. >> tomorrow this campaign goes national! >> reporter: clinton now on her strongest footing yet, after beating sanders by more than 50 points in the palmetto state. >> we are going to compete for

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we are not taking anything and we're not taking anyone for granted. >> reporter: sanders, who was on a plane to minnesota as the devastating results came in, vowed to fight on. >> tuesday, over 800 delegates are at stake. and we intend to win many, many of them. >> reporter: perhaps the most worrying sign for sanders as they head into super tuesday, clinton captured nearly 90% of african-americans here, and even larger percentage than barack obama won in 2008. clinton seeming to pivot to the general election with this less than subtle swipe at donald trump. >> we don't need to make america great again. america has never stopped being great. >> reporter: but there are still clouds that hang over clinton's campaign, underscored on friday when a veteran pressed former president bill clinton about the benghazi attacks in 2012. >> wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. do you -- do you have the

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don't throw him out. if he'll shut up and listen to my answer, i'll answer it. >> reporter: aids to president clinton point out in the video shows that he allowed that protester to go on for nearly two minutes before he cut him off. meanwhile, secretary clinton heads to the super tuesday states of tennessee and arkansas today. senator sanders heads to oklahoma and colorado. jeff? >> busy sunday. kristen welker, thank you. with south carolina behind us, all eyes are now on super tuesday. that's when hillary clinton and donald trump could both take a major step toward becoming their party's nominees. here is the breakdown by the numbers. a look at why this is such an important day. residents of 12 states and american samoa will vote on tuesday. hong those among those states -- >> on tuesday, along more than 20% of all available delegates are at stake here. >> and, of course, it is about the delegates. texas has most up for grabs on

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222 delegates for the democrats. 155 for the republicans. >> the big question leading up to super tuesday, can anyone stop donald trump at this point? marco rubio and ted cruz, they're on the attack, while the republican party is reportedly scrambling to figure out what to do if the billionaire does become the republican nominee. city this morning. good morning. jeff. this morning donald trump is republican establishment. he's tweeting, quote, lightweight senator marco rubio to say anything to hit trump, accusing him of pushing for that. he's also reminding them of the loyalty pledge they signed not to run as a third party. all of this as rubio picks up another establishment endorsement, this one from tennessee senator lamar alexander. the brawl between the republican rivals now appearing to broaden party wide. after a sudden endorsement, a quick good-bye -- >> get in the plane and go home.

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you go home. >> reporter: -- chris christie taking off but it is the insults flying between donald trump and marco rubio. >> he's flying around on hair force one and tweeting. >> thank god he has really large ears. the biggest ears i've ever seen. because they were protecting him. >> the guy with the worst fake tan in america is attacking me for p p ing on makeup. >> reporter: rubio matching his on stage hits with online ones. his campaign launching trump slams.com with super tuesday just 48 hours away. trump on top, looking to all but lock up the nomination. >> a lot of outsiders are coming in because they like what i say. >> the stakes states are giving the control of the party of lincoln and the united states over to a con artist. i'll stay in this race as long as it takes. >> reporter: maybe all the way to a contested convention. rubio ready for it. even as establishment republicans worry his tough new

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the new york times reporting a frantic scramble to try to slow trump down. the attacks against him, escalating. >> now, it doesn't hurt that he inherited $200 million from his daddy. that's a very good way to get rich, pick the right daddy. >> reporter: ted cruz overnight releasing his tax returns and rubio has too, putting pressure on trump to do the same. >> this is a man who prides himself on not getting scared of anything, so what is it t tt he's scared about handing over his tax returns? >> tax returns don't mean anything about work, just so you understand. you never give a tax return when you're being audited. >> reporter: the front-runner on defense, but in polls, still dominating. and the republican candidates will, of course, be blanketing super tuesday states today and watch where they are to get a little bit of a sense of strategy. ted cruz after oklahoma here where the wind has been sweeping down the plain, will head to texas, spending a lot of time

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he has to win. you have marco rubio in virginia today, where it looks more favorable for him than some of ose deep south states where we'll find donald trump. he's rallying in alabama. guys? >> hallie jackson, thanks so much. >> chuck todd is moderator of "meet the press" and joins us from washington. good morning. >> good morning, erica. >> there is so much to talk about in terms of super tuesday and numbers. one thing that we can't seem to ignore here is what this race has become. these really juvenile insults, like playground talk, have you ever seen anything -- this is the race for the highest office in the land. has it been this bad? >> race for the highest office in the land and having the lowest moments possible. it is completely devolved. you have to ask yourself there was a cringeworthy moment at the debate when the three of them, cruz, rubio and trump, three front-runners, and so talking over each other and it lasted for about 30 seconds and i sat there, i couldn't picture any of them taking the oath of office on the steps of the capitol.

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presidential. to see that, i watched all that stuff yesterday between trump and rubio. i mean, literally we're making -- the only thing missing was a your mama joke. and, you know, you say this and want to laugh about it, but it was incredibly uncomfortable. it is a total insult-a-than. >> there is a lot of talk and reports that there is infighting win the republican party, they're trying to figure out what to do if trump becomes the nominee. marco rubio saying he'll take this fight for the nomination to the convention floor. senator mitch mcconnell saying, quote, elhe'll be dropped like a hot rock if he's the nominee. what is the plan in the raine party? >hey're paralyzed. part of the problem is neither rubio nor cruz have done the insider leg work to make these republican insiders comfortable, rallying around either one of them. obviously rubio seems to be the one that has more potential to get all of this establishment support behind him, but there seems to be a hesitance on that

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he's not getting influx of cash. you're not seeing a flood of endorsements. it is a trickle. it is a total paralysis and i think that now you have a party that you have leaders that are now worried that the party is going to completely splinter because you do have a number of conservative intellectuals saying they will never support trump and, of course, if that happens, that ends up guaranteeing hillary clinton victory in the white house. so the party is in desperate straits now. >> as hallie jackson reported, trump is tweeting this morning again, taking to twitter, his favorite platform and just tweeted again, i'm only republican who will get large numbers of dems and independents crossover and states that no other republicans can get. is there some truth to that though? >> there is truth to the -- yes, there is truth that he will make some states more competitive than a traditional republican nominee. he is going to overperform if he's the nominee in a pennsylvania, perhaps a massachusetts, a connecticut, and new jersey. i don't think he can carry any

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you know, instead of -- instead of a republican losing those states by 10, maybe trump loses by 5. but the problem is for every improvement he makes in the north with say working class white voters, he loses hispanics in a place like arizona, georgia, north carolina. and then that's where the electoral vote just becomes in the democrats' favor. >> we could keep talking about this all morning. but we have to move on. the good news is you have more coming up, chuck. we'll catch you in a little bit on "meet the press." chuck's guests this morning include bernie sanders, john kasich and ted cruz. and a reminder, on super tuesday, the place for you to be is nbc. join lester holt, chuck todd and savannah guthrie for live coverage and analysis of all of the races on this crucial day. all of it begins right here at 10:00, 9:00 central. some tragic news to report overnight, three officers shot, one of them killed, while they were pursuing a suspect in virginia. sheinelle has more on that. good morning. >> jeff, good morning. it was officer ashley guindon's

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sworn in on friday. loss, a suspect is in custody this morning. just after 5:30 p.m., prince william county police were called to respond to a domestic shooting in wood bridge, virginia, a suburb just outside of washington, d.c. >> we're really assessing the situation inside the residence, our officers were shot. >> one officer down two. i don't know where the suspect is. >> 13051. 13051, lashmere court for doe midwestic. >> we have three confirmed hits. >> i want to be clear, do we have officers involved in a shooting? >> we have three officers that have been shot. >> reporter: neighbors in the typically quiet neighborhood were shocked. >> i look down the street, and i saw a whole bunch of officers around someone and the ground. >> we had a total of three officers that were shot and wounded in this incident. all three have been transported to fairfax hospital.

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officers, ashley guindon, was just sworn in on friday. later, a somber facebook update by the prince william county police, announcing that guindon had died from her injuries. >> one of the officers involved in tonight's incident has passed. >> reporter: just one day on the job. >> she was sworn in yesterday and her shift was -- this was her first day working. so it -- the whole thing is just tragic. >> reporter: the gunman was taken into custody unharmed at the home where the initial shooting took place. his identity has not yet been released. ashley guindon had previously served in the u.s. marine corps and has family members in law enforcement. such a tragic loss. jeff? >> sheinelle, thank you. a church service will be held in heston, kansas, tonight as residents gather to pray for the victims of thursday's shooting rampage. one of those wounded in the gunfire is 21-year-old melissa torres who spoke ex-exclusively with nbc news about the terror

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>> we heard about five shots outside, five big bangs. >> the married mother of two had just begun her shift at excel industries when she came face to face with a gunman. >> at first i kept thinking this isn't real, this isn't happening, this can't be happening, and i realized i was shot, i seen blood gushing from my hand and i just kept thinking, i have to run, i have two daughters. >> a bullet fractured melissa's hand, a bullet fragment pierced her hip. she says she is grateful to be alive but her peace of mind has been shattered. three stabbing victims are in stable condition this morning after a southern california ku klux klan rally turned into a bloody brawl. protesters had gathered when six kkk members drove up. police say as soon as they stepped out of their car, demonstrators attacked. fists started flying. and so did knives. one member of the separatist group even used a flagpole as a weapon. in all, five people were injured, four transported to the hospital.

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dylan is here with a check of your sunday forecast. good morning. >> good morning, guys. nice warm day all across the country. temperatures will continue to soar, especially back through the plains. want to point out l.a. where we have got the oscars later on today and hollywood, temperatures look nice and mild. we should be in the mid-70s on the red carpet. mostly sunny, light winds about as good as you can get out that way. we have got this warm air pouring in from the south. it is going to feel more like spring. denver should make it up to 63 today. 70 in wichita. 17 degrees above average. down along the gulf coast, temperatures running in the 70s. up and down east coast, 60s. through raleigh, atlanta, 59 degrees today in new york city. so temperatures will remain above average. we do have this front, this will cause a couple of lighter showers and snow showers. especially through the northern

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otherwise, it is not warmer, highs of 62 to 64. mostly sunny monday, highs of 59 to 65. and that's your latest forecast. >> dylan, thanks so much. as you know, a huge night in hollywood tonight as the stars turn out for the 88th academy awards. tonight could see some firsts as well as some controversy. nbc's joel gar julio has more. >> good morning, jeff. how are you, guys. the stage is set, red carpet rolled out and we're hours away from hollywood's biggest night. the glitz and glam was overshadowed by controversy this year, sure to play into chris rock's hands. >> tell me the difference

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>> the movies. the moments. >> this is super cool. >> the never-ending marathon of a-listers parading down red carpet. award season comes to a crescendo tonight as the oscars are finally here. >> let's do this. >> reporter: all eyes now on host chris rock as everyone is waiting to see how he handles the controversy clouding this year's show. 20 actor nominees, all white, the second year in a row. the usually outspoken comedian has been silent on the matter. >> right now i'm concentrating on the movies. the subjects that are big in hollywood. >> reporter: despite the drama off screen, two actors emerged as odds on favorites. for the women, it is brie larson who plays a kidnapped mother in "room". >> i'm scared. >> i know. >> reporter: for the men, it is "the revenant's" leonardo dicaprio. after a near awards season sweep, momentum is finally on dicaprio's side. the 41-year-old has been up for

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but he's never won. critics say this is his year, thanks to his harrowing performance in "the revenant." is there any way we do not hear night? >> he's got it sewn up, locked, write his name on the envelope now, it is happening. >> reporter: his director alejandro inarritu is favored to win in his category. if that happens, it will be the first time a director takes home back-to-back oscars in 65 years. playing rocky for a seventh time, sylvester stallone is duking it out in one of the closest races of the night. >> show me something. >> i think stallone will win an oscar. isn't that great? 39 years ago, rocky won best picture but he lost best actor for playing rocky balboa. 39 years later, he's back. >> reporter: as for the best supporting actress category, shot. we're more likely to hear alicia

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>> you're going to fix it now. >> reporter: it is a three way race for best picture, leading up to the academy awards, the producers guild picks the big short. >> i love my job. >> you hate your job. >> i love my job. >> reporter: the screen actors guilt went with spotlight. >> get the system. >> it is time, robbie. >> reporter: and the revenant reigned supreme with the directors guild. ever shifting favorites, setting the stage for an unforgettable night. so what does vegas think about tonight's oscars? according to online gambling.lv, it comes to best picture, the revenant leads with 3 to 1 odds. spotlight number two with 7 to 2 odds and big short is 7 to 1. as for best actor, it is a virtual lock for leo. he's the overwhelming favorite with 1 to 3 odds and eddie redmayne could be his competition with 9 to 1 odds and in case you're wond are how matt damon is doing in this, his odds are 29 to 1. >> he was great in "the martian".

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it is the year of leo, though. >> i see t tt as a potential to make money, bet on damon and make some cash if he wins. >> big if. still to come on "today," erin andrews set to take the stand in her $25 million hotel peeping lawsuit. here in the city, parking is hard to find. seems like everyone drives. and those who do should switch to geico because you could save hundreds on car insurance. ah, perfect. valet parking. hello! here's the keys. and, uh, go easy on my ride, mate. hm, wouldn't mind some of that beef wellington... to see how much you could save on car insurance, go to geico.com. ah! (car alarm sounds) it's ok! crisp garden vegetables. no artificial flavors. philadelphia garden vegetable. rich, creamy... ...and delicious

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pet moments are beautiful, unless you have allergies. then your eyes may see it differently. only flonase is approved to relieve both your itchy, watery eyes and congestion. no other nasal allergy spray can say that. complete allergy relief or incomplete. let your eyes decide. flonase changes everything. still to come on "today," do you think the presidential candidates sometimes behave likee a bunch of animals? in this case, we found two real animals running for president. the heated presidential debate between two hopefuls, cat and a dog. >> we'll share their story. polls ar take in the sounds, from all sides, of an orchestra performing entirely for you. the jeep grand cherokee, with active noise cancellation to turn any street into a symphony. get 0% apr financing for well qualified buyers plus $500 bonus cash on 2015 jeep grand cherokee models.

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discovered he was missing during a head count yesterday night searching for the boy on the ground and by helicopter. crews are also concerned about the cold overnight as they search for quay... if you see quay... or can help authorities find him you are asked to call the greenville county sheriff's office. greenville county deputies are also on the lookout for a double-murder suspect. bradford williams stands accused of shooting and killing two people at a nightclub in 20-14. he was released from jail in january with a ankle monitoring device as part of the home incarceration program.. records show he cut off his ankle monitor thursday morning. deputies say williams has friends and family that live in the taylors area and in oconee and anderson county. hi good sunday morning i'm pamela wright our peace center skycam shows a nice view into downtown clear skies, calm conditions 40 this morning so certainly cool but above average for all of us and significantly warmer in southern sections of the upstate . still

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western north carolina but a gorgeous day for all of us and a warm day as well. in greenville this is the way the numbers will go by lunchtime we're close to 60 topping out in the mid 60s today same for you and anderson nothing but sunshine and will reach 65 by early in the afternoon spartanburg warming up some 30 from 6 am to three in the afternoon and mid 60s will be the rule even some upper 60s and parts of the upstate. asheville again that cold start this morning in the 20s with your clear skies then lots of sunshine and temperatures warming up nicely. 66 is good average high across the upstate and you see will stay there for your monday and tuesday despite the increasing clouds and rain which will be scattered around tuesday and wednesday again near 60 for the

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and hendersonville temperatu you're only 19 years old. you seem very self-possessed for a 19-year-old teenager. how are you dealing with all the sudden fame and all these awards and this boy's life and what is eating gilbert grape, how are you handling it all? >> wow, i'm not even sure. i say try to spend a lot of time with my friends, my family, just stay at home a lot and mainly keep to myself, you know, meet new people every once in a while. it is not that tough. it is not even real to me yet.

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>> that is mini leonardo dicaprio appearing on "today" in 1993. he was just 19 years old back then. not long after that, he was nominated for an oscar for his role in "what's eating gilbert grape," he lost out to tommy lee jones for "the fugitive." up for it again tonight, though. never won an oscar. that's what everyone is watching. back on rockefeller plaza on this sunday morning, 28th day of february, oscar worthy crowd out here. >> beautiful sunday morning in february. dylan, thank you for a lovely day. >> you're welcome. >> yeah, yeah. let's get you caught up on what making headlines at half past the hour on this sunday morning. hillary clinton sailing into super tuesday, one day after the decisive win over bernie sanders in south carolina. meantime, marco rubio and ted cruz doing everything they can to slow down donald trump before tuesday. as we mentioned, leonardo dicaprio first oscar nomination back when he was 19.

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he's the odds on favorite to win for his role in "the revenant" at 88th academy awards. three way race for best picture tonight between the revenant, spotlight and the big short, all great movies. let's say steph curry is red hot these days, hitting a ridiculously long -- look at that -- three-pointer. time running out in overtime last night, which makes it even more impressive, leading his team to victory over oklahoma city. that shot, by the way, tied an nba record for three in a single game with 12. he broke his own record for threes in a season. and a little more sports news for you. lindsey vonn back on the slopes today. we're happy to say, after a nasty fall while racing in a world cup super-g event in andorra. vonn did suffer a hairline fracture of her knee. we're glad she's okay this morning. meantime, i have to tell you, we're still on a high after our shoot with rascal flatts.

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too many to fit into the piece he would we showed you yesterday. >> don't worry. those outtakes on today. >> can we do it again? >> i think a girls trip is in order? we'll work on that and the outtakes. >> we'll watch for that. we wanted to begin this half hour with what is sure to be a dramatic day for sports reporter erin andrews. this morning, she is on the verge of testifying in her $75 million peeping lawsuit. nbc's kristen dahlgren has more on that. good morning. >> good morning to you, jeff. week one of this trial was full of dramatic moments, including erin andrews having to leave the courtroom as the jury watched that infamous nude video taken by her stalker. get ready for more drama on monday when the jury could hear from both the stalker and andrews. the jury has already seen video of erin andrews naked in her nashville hotel room. >> why don't we start with the first one.

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andrews in a much different light, on the stand, as she sues stalker michael barrett with the national marriott for $75 million, claiming the hotel granted barrett's request for a room right next to hers. a claim marriott and the hotel franchise owner deny. barrett altered the peephole to andrews' room and recorded her getting dressed. >> a lot of her time is going to be talking about what happened to her, what her emotional reaction was, what her damage is, and what her personal injuries have been. >> reporter: andrews is expected to testify about her embarrassment after barrett posted the video. >> 16.8 million people saw the video. >> she except screaming, i'm on the internet, i'm on the internet, naked, everything i worked for is done. >> reporter: andrews father and her psychotherapist have already testified about the agony it caused for the sports reporter.

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day without fear and, um, anxiety. >> reporter: on monday, andrews' mother is also expected to take the stand. and the jury could hear from stalker michael barrett in his taped deposition. barrett already pleaded guilty to stalking and shooting videos of andrews in at least three states. he served 30 months in prison. now barrett's deposition could reveal details about how he knew where andrews was staying, and what role the hotel itself may have played. >> one of the questions for the jury is what should have been done and what did they not do? >> reporter: now the hotel maintains that barrett went to extraordinary lengths to manipulate the system and that the convicted stalker is solely to blame. but the defense expected to present its case later this week, guys. >> kristen dahlgren, thank you so much. dylan has a final check of your weather for us. >> it is warming up. bismarck, north dakota, hit 73 degrees. that's the warmest it has ever

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entire state. they'll be back in the 40s today, but still a good run yesterday. a little farther to west of the dakotas, this storm system making its way into the pacific northwest. some rain, heavy at times, along the coast and mountain snow. it is not a huge storm system, but we will still see a couple of inches of rain. and you see that area of low pressure develops through the rockies, we'll see some lighter snow in denver. that will continue to move through the plains and we could see a brief burst of snow up near chicago. but it doesn't look like it will accumulate all that much. we'll watch out for a chance of some isolated stronger storms down south as we gonto the mid reaching 55. the mountains will have clouds early, gradual clearing, becoming mostly sunny. high for asheville, hendersonville just reaching 47. winds from the northwest at 6-15+. cold overnight, lows of 30 to 35. sunny sunday, warmer, highs of 62 to 64. mostly sunny monday, highs of 59

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and that's your latest forecast. >> all right, dylan, thanks. still to come, our sunday stories, from pets running for president to a history lesson this month for black history month from sheinelle's own family. and harry smith will show us how the past is very present at one s you can help prevent blindness in undernourished children all over the world. when you get your vitamins at walgreens, you help give life-changing vitamins to kids across the globe. get vitamins here. change lives everywhere.

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he had lost his wife recently, but i didn't know that. he made a remark to me about not sure he wanted to be there anymore, but he said something to me that has stuck with me to this day. after having your dinner, i think i want to stick around a while and that really meant something to me. i never had an experience like that and it just let me know that what i'm doing is much more important than just food. in this heated presidential race, it often feels like the candidates are fighting like cats and dogs. it is fitting that there is a cat and also a dog running for president. >> i love how we're playing the nbc politics musus. nbc's blake mccoy tells us, these candidates are very serious about their caucuses. >> reporter: she's an unlikely candidate for president. >> good girl. >> reporter: but this year, maybe that's not surprising.

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other candidates are dogs, so why not run a real one. >> reporter: lucy lou, 9 years old, a border collie from rabbit hash, kentucky. lucy holds elected office already, mayor, a position she literally bought. >> they charge you a dollar to voteteyou can vote as often as you want, we encourage drinking at the polls because people are more loose with their money. >> reporter: it started as a fund-raiser for their little town and since inflated lucy's ambition. she filed official paperwork with the federal election commission to swap this white house for an even bigger one. 100 miles away, lucy has some four legged competition. meet limberbutt mccubbins, a 6-year-old gray tabby from louisville, who also wants to be president. >> fill out a quick form and next thing you know, you're running a cat for president. >> reporter: what started as a joke between high school classmates has taken on a life of its own. >> he has wide appeal then? >> absolutely. he's an every man's cat.

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washington fat cat. >> reporter: so how is a voter to decide? a pet presidential debate, of course. to my right, we have lucy lou, who is running as an indepawdent and to my left, limberbutt mccubbins running as a democat. where do you stand on medical catnip? the ben carson low energy approach today. lucy lou, do you believe dogs and cats should be able to move freely between people's backyards or should we build walls to keep them out? okay, controversial response. thank you for that, lucy. let's hear it for the candidates. >> reporter: still undecided? don't fret. neither candidate will actually raise enough money for get enough signatures to be on the ballot. instead, their candidacies are ones with a cause.

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more young people involved in politics. >> not too many 18-year-olds can say they ran something for president. >> reporter: for lucy lou, the money she raises will help restore the historic town she calls home. >> lucy's legacy will be that she made people love rabbit hash as much as she does. >> reporter: candidates running on a pawsitive message. >> no fur was flying during that debate. very civilized. >> oh, my goodness. >> you thought there weren't any left. >> leave it to you to find one. >> the campaigns are in jest, as blake said, but for good causes. in fact, lucy lou's campaign is using its funds now more than ever to help rebuild the community's general store after a fire destroyed it earlier this month. >> the polls are open now. don't have to wait for election day. who would you vote for? lucy lou or limberbutt mccubbens. we'll find out why the cat is called limberbutt later.

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>> can we do a jeff rossen report? >> we want to know about the name. over to dialen inylan in the orange room with today's plaza fan. >> i'm joined by steven depet re, easier name, from staten island, new york. i thought i was productive working this morning. what did you do so far today? >> i ran a fund-raiser race for ms to the top of the rock. >> top of the rock. 66 floors up. let's go. you just need some water here. >> yeah. >> right? i mean, good for you. and the proceed goes to ms. thank you for being here. still to come, sheinelle's grandparents give her a look back at their family history during black history month. >> but first, these messages. to the couple who set aside the whole day to sell their old car and buy a new one... oops. nana's got the kids til 9...

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odor control worth celebrating. back now on a sunday morning as we continue our special series looking back, moving forward. when you think of black history month, you probably think of people in the history books like dr. martin luther king or rosa parks. >> sometimes it is the people you may not have heard of in smaller towns who are living history as sheinelle found out. >> yes, sometimes the trailblazers are in your blood line. these people behind me, these on the monitor these are people in my family tree. this week i talked with my

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grandparents. more specifically, my 92-year-old grandfather dr. val brown sr. who for 45 years practiced medicine in my hometown of wichita, kansas. for decades, he was one of a few african-american doctors in the city. >> reporter: it was 1949, truman was president, the first emmy awards were held, world heavyweight boxing champ joe louis retired. and in wichita, kansas, my grandfather opened his first medical practice. >> when i would go to the office, it was crammed full and you had to sit on the stool outside. >> reporter: my grandfather was one of the few african-american physicians in the town and in those days african-americans weren't readily admitted into hospitals so he did it all. >> everybody managed their own patients. dad even did tonsillectomies, he delivered babies. >> they call him on saturday or sunday and he would sit down on

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hold their hand, pat them, for maybe an hour, whatever it took to calm them. >> at one time, blacks were not allowed to go to the hospital for extractions. we would pull teeth, full mouth extractions, at home. i would give the general anesthesia. >> do you remember when things started to change? >> it was kind of gradual. i would talk to another doctor about something else, and he said, you know, colored folks can go to such and such a hospital now. and that's the way you found out about it. >> so it was never some big announcement, like this is what we're going to do? >> no, no, no. because once you announce it, then you admit it was going on before. >> what makes my grandfather's story so unique is not just that he was one of the only black doctors in town, or that his son later followed in his footsteps.

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of this man, dr. grant gratz brown, born in 1872. he was a county coroner, physician, and my grandfather's father. he died when my grandfather was a toddler. >> he was fantastically bright. >> he spoke fluent spanish. so he had a large spanish practice. >> there was an article at his death that 1500 people attended. it also mentioned there were 50 white folks, so that obviously bespoke a lot for people to come into that neighborhood. >> most interesting thing was after he died, he had a notebook, a diary. i could follow his days at school. the things he wrote in the diary about problems that he had in class. >> somebody told me that when you were growing up they called

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>> they was going to be sure i was a physician. so i wouldn't spread out and become something else. >> over the course of my grandfather's career, he cared for 8,000 patients. >> they called him a gentle giant. you can go to walmart or some place and somebody will grab him and hug him, oh, my doctor, you delivered me. >> do you ever sit back and think, my father was a doctor, i'm a doctor, one of my sons is a doctor. >> i never felt it was i was a trailblazer. maybe other people did. it was just a trail, that's all. a trail that i enjoyed. >> if i had to come up with a takeaway for this segment, it is to remind us to talk to your loved ones and share stories. in addition to my great grandfather's diary from 1899, he wrote that while he was a medical school at howard, i found this postcard of all of the babies my great grandfather delivered in one year.

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and then i found this, this is a prescription he wrote for one of his patients, my great grandfather, it says cayenne pepper. almost like -- use real ingredients. but it just -- it was an amazing experience to talk to my family and that's just, you know, my grandfather's side. my grandmother wrote our family history for all of the grandkids. it is one of those things where if you're watching, call your grandparents, call your parents, talk to each other, have a conversation. >> i love that story. i really do. >> and bring cameras if you're you. >> there you go. >> thanks for sharing that story that was great. still to come on "today," harry smith taking us inside a once abandoned bus station that is now a bustling restaurant. first, these messages. incredible bladder protection from always discreet that lets you move like you mean it now comes with an incredible promise. the always discreet double your money back guarantee. always discreet is for bladder leaks and it's drier than poise. try it. we're so confident you'll love it, we'll give you double your money back

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this morning on sundays with harry, there are certain people in this world who see opportunity where the rest may see chaos. harry smith saw that on a recent trip down south. >> i started reading about the gray, six months or so ago. somebody told me about the savannah bus station they turned into a restaurant. cool idea, right? that's just part of the story. mashima bailey has a way with food and it makes the gray one of the hottest new restaurants in the country. how would you describe the cuisine of the gray? >> it is southern soul food, european swirl. >> reporter: which means it is down home ingredients prepared by a highly trained and highly motivated chef. i can confirm the praise is warranted. >> i just want to make sure that i'm being honest with myself and being honest with the food that

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>> reporter: reservations on the weekends can be hard to come by. people want to eat here, but they also want to see the gray. a newcomer bought the long abandoned bus station and didn't really know what he was going to do with it. >> i told my wife, i think i'm going to put a restaurant in. she said, you've officially gone crazy. i started the design work the next day. >> reporter: an audacious makeover, part restoration and innovation leaving no doubt to what this has been. >> if we could salvage it in its form, we would. just to have the shape of the dog and the original greyhound is -- that's beyond. >> reporter: the past is present here. what was back here? >> so we're walking into what was known when the station opened as the colored waiting room.

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blacks were only allows in through the back door. >> everyone notices it, but me, you know? >> reporter: all of this may seem like an unlikely strategy for success. the old bus station, soul food with style, savannah. >> to be a successful entrepreneur, i think one of the key strengths you need to have is complete and utter naivete, not recklessness, but naivete. >> reporter: the ability to believe thatthe grey can be more than good. >> great in a year. it takes time. like wisdom. >> reporter: you have to sit on the soul for a while. >> has to simmer. could be a flash in the pan. i want to prove we're not that. >> so go to grey. it looks so good. you get inside, and you say this is worth the trip. i love it. >> you were listening. >> i was listening and watching. harry, thanks. tune into "meet the press" this morning. chuck's guests donald trump,

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>> speaking of presidential candidates, let's check in on the results of our pet election here. 55% for lucy lou. 45% for our favorite limberbutt mccubbins. on a sunday morning.

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>> bye. this sunday, hillary clinton's blowout win in south carolina has her looking towards november. national. >> while bernie sanders vows to fight on. >> it would make me so happy to run against donald trump. >> bernie sanders joins me th morning. plus, what a week on the republican side. first, rubio thumps trump. [ overlapping speakers ]

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surprise endorsement. >> there's no one better prepared to provide america with the strong leadership that it needs. >> as donald trump collects endorsements, the republican establishment approaches panic. is it too late to stop trump now? donald trump and senator ted cruuare with me this morning. and when you look at moments like this. >> a con artist. >> you're a choker. >> hair force one. >> total lightweight. >> worst tan in america. >> is it time to ask whether the gop is on the brink of coming apart? >> my party has gone bat [ bleep ] crazy. >> joining me for insight and analysis are charlie cook of the cook political report, heather mcghee, andrea mitchell of nbc news and erick erickson. trump, cruz, sanders. welcome to sunday.